Freya pressed her lips together. "You're gripping me too tightly! It hurts!."

In response, Bradley loosened his hold slightly, noticing the red marks left by his grasp on her ankle.

He realized she was susceptible to leaving scars from such marks and immediately regretted being too rough with her.

Grabbing the disinfectant, Freya sprayed it on the wound and let out a gasp. "Ouch! It stung!" she thought. She felt like pouring salt on her wound.

Observing her furrowed brow, Bradley unexpectedly felt sympathy.

He reached out and gently touched the injured area, leaning down to blow on it.

The warmth of his breath mixed with the pleasant scent of mint, causing a tingling sensation that made Freya involuntarily curl her toes.

She stared at Bradley's gentle demeanor, feeling a warm wave flow through her, melting her icy heart.

It reminded her of how, as a child, she would fall and hurt herself, and her mother would always blow on her wounds to make them feel less painful.

Raising his head, Bradley noticed Freya gazing at him, her eyes misty with tears, which caught him off guard. "Did I hurt you?" he asked.

Blushing, Freya shook her head. "It doesn't hurt anymore."

Truly, as Bradley's breath caressed her wound, she no longer felt any pain. She felt a sense of being cared for and cherished, just like when her parents would attentively nurture her in her childhood.

After losing her sense of warmth for so long, Freya was pleasantly surprised to find it again in Bradley.

"I'm sorry I messed up your hair. I'll have Frederick take you to get it fixed tomorrow," Bradley lifted his head and stared at the burned hair, his eyes growing dim.

Her gorgeous hair, in his opinion, shouldn't have any flaws at all.

After a moment, Freya said, "I'm tired now. Can I go to sleep?"

Intent on getting a good night's sleep, she yawned and purposefully lowered her eyelids, hoping that Bradley would soon leave her bedroom.

But Bradley embraced her tightly, and they both got down on the bad.

"Let's sleep together."

Freya remained rigid, frozen in fear.

Bradley put his arm around her waist and supported her head with his other. Freya felt the heat coming from Bradley's broad shoulders and heard his heart thumping strongly.

She felt very uneasy in this close embrace.

She opened her eyes widely and felt incredibly alert, but all she could hear was Bradley's steady breathing.

She realized that he had fallen asleep again.

This time, Freya refrained from touching him anymore, knowing that she would be safe while he was asleep. Perhaps due to the anxiety of the preceding night, Freya soon fell asleep as well.

At that moment, Bradley slowly opened his eyes and looked deeply at the girl in his arms.

Freya's serene and beautiful sleeping face, with her fluttering eyelashes like delicate brushes, captivated him. Her slightly parted lips, occasionally pursing, made her already vibrant lips even more enticing and supple.

Overwhelmed by the girl's fragrance and softness, Bradley couldn't resist leaning in and sharing a passionate kiss.

No woman had ever aroused his desires like she did, effortlessly striking a chord in his heart. Being in her presence even brought him a sense of tranquility.

Bradley was fascinated by the taste of her, choosing to lightly bite her small toes before leaving the bedroom with a smile.

When Freya woke up the next morning, Bradley was no longer there.

She got up and went to the bathroom to freshen up but suddenly heard a knock on the door.

Holding her toothbrush, Freya opened the door and was immediately met with the sight of a beautiful girl. Freya dropped her toothbrush to the ground in surprise with a clatter.

"Abby, what are you doing here?" she asked.

Abby Fisher scratched her head and chuckled. "I couldn't reach you, so I was worried you might be in danger, and I came to check on you."

Freya swiftly locked the door and drew the curtains of the floor-to-ceiling window, then seated herself on the sofa beside Abby, grasping her hand firmly.

"There's no need to worry; I am safe here," Freya reassured Abby, trying to alleviate her concerns.

"But, Freya, Bradley is a dangerous man. I came here to protect you," Abby insisted.

"I appreciate your concern, Abby, but I believe he won't harm me," Freya blinked thoughtfully.

Despite their brief time together, she had gathered some understanding of Bradley. While he possessed an unconventional temperament, he wasn't as heartless as the rumors suggested.

As for his alleged cursed fate, Freya held no belief in such things.

"Alright! By the way, our branch will be opening in a few days. You have to join in the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Freya!" Abby changed the topic.

Freya narrowed her eyes, a sudden recall of the occasion flooding her mind.

"I got it! You should leave as soon as possible, Abby! It might cause trouble if anyone sees you," Freya glanced at the time, realizing that Frederick would soon be arriving to wake her up.

"Alright, I'll leave now," Abby replied, and without wasting a moment, she disappeared as swiftly as she had come, vanishing into the distance from the Royal Garden Mansion.

Freya let out a relieved breath, watching Abby safely perch atop a high building, waving at her.

Abby served as both her bodyguard and assistant, possessing remarkable agility and skills.

Seven years ago, after Freya pretended to have a mental disability following a severe illness, Mrs. Smith ceased caring for her, granting Freya the freedom to pursue her own endeavors.

Due to her frequent bouts of illness, she often visited the small clinic in Luiville Village, gradually becoming acquainted with the village doctor.

Their interactions allowed Freya to acquire knowledge about medicine and develop some medical skills.

Freya would occasionally sneak away from Luiville Village because she needed to find someone.

During one of these occasions, she had a fortuitous encounter with a generous individual who imparted all of his lifelong medical expertise to her. It was during this period that she also crossed paths with Abby.

Abby, a secret agent who had suffered grave injuries during a mission, was saved by Freya from the brink of death. As a gesture of gratitude, Abby decided to stay by Freya's side to protect her.

In the past few years, with Abby's assistance, Freya managed to accumulate a substantial sum of money by practicing medicine under the name "Lexi."

Eventually, she even established her own clinic. Within a few years, her clinic began to expand, and she now had multiple branches across the country. If Freya recalled correctly, it was time to inaugurate the tenth branch.

"Mrs. Austin, it's time to wake up and have breakfast!" Frederick's voice from outside the door interrupted Freya's thoughts.

"I'm coming!" Freya resumed brushing her teeth and entered the bathroom to finish getting ready.

As she descended the stairs, Bradley was nowhere to be seen in the dining room. Intrigued, Freya asked, "Where did Mr. Austin go?"

"Mr. Austin had some matters to attend to, so he requested that I accompany Mrs. Austin to the salon to have her hair done," Frederick replied with respect.

Freya blinked in surprise. It seemed that Bradley always had work to do every morning, creating the impression that he had a hectic schedule.